Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (May 9, 2022) - Completing their regular-season slate, the North Central College baseball team defeated Illinois Wesleyan University 8-4 on Monday afternoon to win their 30th game of the season. This is the fifth time in the last six eligible seasons that the Cardinals have eclipsed the 30-win mark.
The Titans opened the game with the first four batters reaching safely as they tallied three runs on five hits in the top of the first inning. Luke Lehnen and Paul Beverly each singled but the Cardinals could not answer in the bottom half of the first inning.
AJ Kutcher forced the Titans to go three-up and three-down in each of the next two innings.
Lehnen reached on an error by the Titans shortstop to start a two-out rally. Dom Listi singled and Beverly was hit by the pitch to load the bases for Jared Wojcik. The senior delivered with an RBI single up the middle before Justin Rios singled through the right side to close the gap for North Central, 3-2.
Neither team pushed a run across in the fourth inning. The Titans added a run in the top half of the fifth inning. Jaedin Kotecki forced an Illinois Wesleyan double play in the top of the sixth to keep the Titans off the board.
To begin the bottom of the sixth inning, Wojcik, Rios, and Michael Davis all reached base to load the bases for North Central. Brent Swenson drove in Wojcik before John Petty drew a walk to score Rios and tie the game at 4-4. After an Illinois Wesleyan pitching change, Lehnen drew another bases-loaded walk to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game. Starting to break the game open, Beverly reached on an error to plate Swenson and Petty later scored on a wild pitch. The Titans made another pitching change and greeted Rios with a hit by pitch to score Lehnen and put North Central on top, 8-4.
Kotecki worked out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh, forcing two strikeouts and a flyout to keep the Titans scoreless. Robert Deischer entered the game in the eighth inning and did not allow a base runner in the next two innings to secure the win for the Cardinals.
Kotecki earned his second win of the season while Brady Hartman fell to 1-4. Kutcher, Kotecki, and Deischer combined for eight strikeouts on the day. Listi, Wojcik, and Rio each recorded two hits while Lehnen scored two runs.
The Cardinals move into postseason play as they are the hosts for the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament. Top-seeded North Central will play at 12 PM on Wednesday with an opponent to be determined. To see the full CCIW Tournament schedule, click HERE.
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